The Many Uses of Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils used in aromatherapy today. And for good reason. There are many health benefits to inhaling this delightful scent, including improving your sleep and helping you to relax. Lavender oil smells nice on its own. It is also pleasant to mix with other essential oils, such as cedar wood, pine, geranium, chamomile or rose to name just a few.

History of Lavender Oil- The Oil That Started It All

Lavender oil was the first essential oil to ever be used and studied for healing purposes. It all started in 1910. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, the man who invented aromatherapy, burned his hand mixing chemicals in his perfume lab. He plunged his hand into the first liquid he could find, which happened to be lavender oil. His hand healed quickly with very little scarring, so he began to study the powers of different essential oils. And the study of aromatherapy was born

Uses of Lavender Oil

The scent of lavender oil has a calming, sedative effect. Inhaling the smell can promote deep relaxation. Put a few drops on a cloth or on your pillowcase and breathe it in. It can treat anxiety, depression, tension headaches and emotional stress. It removes nervous exhaustion increases mental activity. It can also be used to treat insomnia so you can get a good night's sleep.

Massages using lavender scented oil can ease tense, sore muscles. The calming scent can make a soothing massage even more relaxing. Buy yourself a carrier oil, such as almond oil or grape seed oil. Or you could use whatever oil you have on hand, even canola or olive oil. Mix 1/4 cup oil with a few drops of lavender. Now find someone to give you a massage!

Lavender oil can help relieve respiratory problems such as throat infections, colds, coughs, sinus congestion and bronchitis. You can add the oil to a vaporizer and breathe in the fumes. Or add a few drops to a steamy bowl of water, tent a towel over your head and inhale deeply.

Lavender oil's antiseptic and anti-fungal properties make it useful to treat skin disorders such as acne. Just dab a drop on a pimple once or twice a day. It can also help heal wounds, cuts or sunburns as it aids in the formation of scar tissue. Dab on with a cotton ball.

Lavender oil can help to repel bugs. Rub a little oil on your skin before going outside. You can also use it on your scalp to kill lice and lice eggs.

Try a ceramic aromatherapy lamp ring to fill your home with the lovely scent of lavender. Just put it on top of a standard light bulb, put a few drops of lavender oil and turn on the light. You can use any essential oil that you like and they are much safer than lighting scented candles.